Manufacture of cross-wound thread packages



Dec. 30, i941. L. E. LovETT MANUFACTURE OF CROSS-WOUND THREAD PACKAGES 4Sheets-Sheet l Filed May i4, 1938 maentor vI QLJIS E. LovE'TT GttoxnegD. 3o, 1941. E, LOVETT 2,267,983

MANUFACTURE OF CROSS-WOUND THREAD PACKAGES nventor Louis E. LOVETTGtforneg Dec. 3o, 1941.

MANUFACTURE` 0F CROSS-YWOUND THREAD PACKAGES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May14, 1938 Flu NWN

N NNNNNNNN dttorneg lPatented Dec. 30, 1941 2,267,983 MANUFAC'UUM:v oFcnoss-wo-UND' THREAD PACKAGES Louis E. Lovett, cleveland Heights, ohio,assignor to Industrial Rayon Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporationof Delaware Application May I4, 1938, Serial No. 208,064

3 Claims.

This invention relates to the winding of arti- 'ficial silk thread upona bobbin, spool or other similar collecting device in such manner as toform a novel thread package characterized |by a high degree of porosity.

In conventional practice as employed'up to the present time, the mannerin which the traverse mechanism of the spinning machine directs thethread to the collectingdevice gives rise to an extremely dense threadpackage which in many respects is very difficult to handle. Due to thedensity of the package, a' considerable length of time is required toinsure thorough treatment of the thread during the subsequent processingtreatments. The processing liquids do not readily penetrate the package,as a result of which a lesser degree of uniformity of the thread may beexpected to result by reason of the fact that some portions of thethread package are more thoroughly treated than others.

The difculty of obtaining adequate liquid penetration leads indirectlyto other difiicultiesv affecting the later step of renoving the threadfrom the package. Due to the extent of time required for processing thethread package,` a greater amount of thread displacement is experiencedthan would' otherwise occur. One or more threads are caused by theprocessing liquids to wash out of place, obstructing other threads inthe package so that in the unwinding operation entangling and breakageof the thread results. This is particularly likely to occur at the'endsof the conventionally formed package heretofore employed.

In contrast to the conventional package, the novel thread package of thepresent invention facilitates the action of the various processingliquids by its unusually high degree of porosity. This porosity resultsfrom the precision winding method employed in building up the package,

which method will be explained in detail hereinafter. By virtue of thefact that it is precision wound, the package is distinguished from theconventional package by the presence in radial alignment ofdiamond-shaped openings which extend through the entire thickness of thepackage to present an open pattern which permits ready entrance ofprocessing liquids.

By promoting the free ow of the processing liquid through the package, agreat reduction is effected in the length of time required to accomplishthe various processing operations; For example, where a period of ivehours is necessary in the washing step to remove the acid from theconventional package; the novel package of the present invention makespossible a reduction to approximately two hours. I f, as is the case incertain processes, the saving in time is not an importantifactor, thewashing operation may be accomplished by means oi the novel package ofthe present invention without the use of added chemical reagents in thesame'amount of time as that required with theaid of chemicals for thewashing of the conventional package.

Besides being capable of winding the novel l package of the presentinvention, the apparatus later to be described is capable of beingemployed to form over the entire surface of the completed package aprotective layer of thread which, although not strictly necessary withvthe novel package of the invention, may, if desired, be provided toinsure maintenance of the component threads in position in the package,thereby preventing possible damage resulting from careless handling ofthe spools by the operators.

As a result of these and other features, -the packy age contemplated bythe Vpresent invention is much less susceptible to thread displacementdifliculties of the kind originating in the manner above described. Ithas been found, furthermore, that the thread package', whether or notthe added protection afforded by the protective web be employed, may beunwound without thread breakage with much greater ease than theconventional package.

For illustrative purposes, the invention will be described in connectionwith the viscose processV of manufacturing artificial silk thread,although it is to be understood that the invention may be employed toadvantage in other processes; e. g., the cuprammonium, cellulose acetateand nitrocellulose processes. 'Ihe advantages of the thread package ofthe invention are particularly important in the viscose process in whichviscose is extruded through a spinneret into an acid coagscribed tend tooccur. which will form the' One form of appara novel thread package othe invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, nwhich Figure1 is a side elevation of oney section of a spinning machine adapted toform such athread package. Figure 2 is a corresponding plan; Figure 3 isan elevation from the line 3-3of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a section alongthe line 4 4 of Figure 1, parts being broken away. Figure 5 is a plan ofFigure 1 with parts omitted showing the relation of partsat thecompletion of the winding operation. Figure 6 isan elevation of Figure5. Figure 'I is an elevation on an enlarged scale o f a portion ofFigure 6 showing theparts in lposition for vforming the protective web.

through gears 29 and 30 by line shaft Figure 8 is a side elevation ofthe novel thread package of the invention. Figure 9 is a similarelevation showing the protective web. Figure 10 is a slightlyexaggerated representation of a fragmentary transverse section takeninter- 5 mediate the ends of` the package of Figure 8. .Figure 11represents a longitudinally extending section of the package of Figure 8broken away to the extent necessary to show the path traced by theopenings therethrough. Figure 12 is an exaggerated enlargement; of aportion of the thread package to show the pattern obtained.

The spools I0 upon which is collected thread I I from the spinnerets(not shown) are mounted upon opposite ends of a transverse shaft I2.`This 15 shaft is mounted in a gear box I3 and is rotated by means ofgears I4 and I5, the latter of which is carried upon a line shaft I6extending longitudinally of the machine. Shaft I6 supported upon framebearings |1 at opposite ends of each 20 section lof the machine isrotated by power from motor I8 transmitted through chain drive |9, aVariable drive which includes pulleys 20, 2l and chain drive 22. Pulleyis carried upon a shaft 23 rotatably mounted in bearings carriedby the25 frame of the machine.

To carry the thread back and forth across the face of the collectingspool I0, it is passed through a guide eye 25 at the lower end of an arm26 depending from rocker shaft 21. Rocker shaft 21, carried by bearings24, is actuated by means of a cam contained within cam` box 28 rotatedI6. Through the operation of the'cam, a lug 3| upon the exterior of thecam box 28 is caused to re- 35 ciprocate back and forth, as shown byfull and dotted lines in Figure 2. Pivotally connected to this lug 3| isa lever 32 fulcrumed at pin 33. At its outer end, lever 32 is pivotallyconnected by pin to a cross bar 34 reciprocating through guide plates40. Pin33 and pin 35 engage longitudinal slots in lever 32. y Centrallyof the cross bar 34 is fastened a block 36 to which are pivotallyconnected links 31 the outer ends of which are forked. Within the forkedend of link 31 is received arm 38 fastened to rocker shaft 31 by meansof which rocker shaft 21 is oscillated. Link 31 passes through slots 39of guide plates 48 to permit up and down movement of link 31'due to theswinging movement of arm 38. The arm 38l is of less thickness. than thedistance between the prongs of the forked end of lever 31 in order topermit a limited amount of transverse movement of the .arm 38 along pin4|.

The fulcrum pin 33 for lever- 32 is carried by a bracket 42 secured tobar 43. Bar 43 is squared and is carried within squared bearings 44which permit the bar to have endwise but not rotary movement. At one endof bar 43 are formed screw threads 45 which are used in causing an axialmcvementof the bar 43 for the purpose of shifting the fulcrum pin 33during the operation of the machine. Carried upon the screw threads 45is a nut 46 which is positioned between bracket Varms 48 of the frame toprevent its endwise 46 and slidable endwise therealong. By means oflever the element 84 may be engaged with the clutch teeth on the innerside of sprocket 82 so that the sprocket will rotate the nut, or element84 may be disengaged therefrom making rotation of nut 46 independent ofsaid sprocket and dependent upon the manual operation of handwheel 83.The lever 85 may be held in either of its two positions by catching itin either of the two notches 86 and 81.

Sprocket 82 is rotated in timed relation to the spools by motor 4| 8through a power take-off. Gear 59 secured to shaft 23 actuated by motorI8 through chain |9 drives gear 5| upon a shaft 52 which is journalledin cross pieces 53 of gear supports 54. Worm55 on shaft 52 drives wormwheel 51 mounted on shaft 56 which carries gear 458 which ln turn impelsgear 59. To gear 59 is secured an eccentric pin 69 upon which is pivoteda link 6| pivoted at its upper end to a pawl arm 62. Oscillation of pawlarm 62 drives ratchet wheel 63, carried upon a shaft 64, in thedirection of the arrow in Figure 3. Movement of shaft 64 in the oppositedirection' is prevented by detent means 65. Gear 66 secured to shaft 64drives sprocket 61 through a gear train generally indicated by referencecharacter 68. Sprocket 61,' through chain 69, drives the sprocketl 82upon nut 46.

- Through operation of the structural arrangement thus far described apackage of thread.

will be collected on each spool. I0 the ends of which package will beconically shaped as shown in Figure 8.

These conical ends are formed by progressive movement of fulcrum pin 33under the influence of shaft 43. As the machine operates, and thefulcrum pin is urged away from driving 1ug3l, the lever arm determinedby the distance between pins 33 and 35 is shortened with the result thatcross bar 34, links 31, arm 38 and consequently guide eye 25 have aconstantly decreasing extent of movement. Through the speed-reducingaction of pawl 62, ratchet wheel v63, and its associated drivingconnections, the extremities of travel of guide eye 25 are broughtslightly closer together as each new layer of thread is deposited on thespool.

The traverse arm,26 is oscillated in such relation to the rotation ofspools I0 that successive turns of thread will be almost superimposed.

This is accomplished if the spool, for each complete oscillation of thetraverse arm, rotates a whole number of revolutions and a fractionalportion of a revolution which fraction has an odd number as itsdenominator. For example,

the spool may rotate 8%.-, revolutions for each However, with the use ofthe apparatus thush far described, each new turn of thread will not bedisposed exactly radially outward of the next inner turn. The reason forthis condition resides in the fact that the thread passing from theguide eye to the package will assume a different angular relation as thepackage increases in thickness.

Since the point of contact of the thread with the package will tend toshift around v52 and ratchet 63 for this purpose.`

.means .are provided for causing a recessional -movement of the guideeye as the package 89 increases in thickness. To achieve best results,it is desirable that the guide eye 25, when starting to build thepackage, be positioned initially ditraverse movement along the entirevface of the package.

rectly below the outside of the collecting spool, so I that the'threadpasses vertically to the spool as shown in Figure 1. The recessionalmovement of the guide eye carries the guide eye laterally away from thespool in a direction perpendicular to the length of thread between theguide eye and the spool. By moving the guide eye away from the spool atthe rate at which the packageA increases in thickness, the thread willalways pass vertically to thepackage and will contact with the packagein the same manner.

This recession movement is eiected by a screw shaft 'l0 in axialalignment with rocker shaft 21 connected to the latter by a couplingmember ll which permits their relative rotation. Screw.

shaft l has a squared portion '|12 which passes through frame upright 13thus preventing turning movement of -the screw shaft. Positioned uponthe screw shaft between upright frame members 'M is a nu't 'l5 havingupon its exterior a sprocket 16. A chain l1 connects sprocket 16 whichactuates screw shaft 10 and an identical sprocket 'l5' which impels asimilar mechanism on the opposite side of the machine with sprocket 18upon shaft 64. In this manner nut 15 is ro tated at the desired slowspeed, utilizing pawl A handwheel 19 is keyed to sprocket 16 to makepossible manual operation of the screw shaft.

During operation of the machine, as the packt age ofthread increases inthickness, the rocker shaft 2l will be caused to move axially as it isrotated. Such axial movement while the rocker shaft'is being rotated ispermitted by sliding movement of arm 38 along pin 4I. As shown in Figure6, at ,the completion of the winding operation, arm 38 is at theopposite end of pin Si from its position in Figure 2. At thispoint thespool ordinarily would be removed from the machine, but the package maynow, if desired, be entirely covered from end to .end with a protectivelayer of thread Sli, which as previously explained, may provide addedprotection for the ends of the" package against mutilation or washingover of 'the thread turns. This protective web is merely an addedprecaution as with reasonably careful handling such added protec tion isunnecessary.

. In order to form the protective web, clutch element 84 is withdrawnfrom sprocket 82 so that they are disengaged and handwheel 83 is en'-gaged. The handwheel is then rotated in the opposite direction fromwhich the nut was driven by chainv 69. Such rotation of the handwheelcarries with it nut I6 and thereby restores bar 43 to itsinitial-position against stop 80. The relation of parts due to thismanipulation is illustrated in Figure 7. Since bar 12 is not disturbedby the restoring movement of bar 43, guide eyes 25 will-remain in theiriinalpositions vertically below the withdrawn layer upon the spool pack?age. Fulcrum $3V is, however, moved toward pin Il so that guide eyes 25will have their complete thereon which it assumes at the end of itsreces-l sional motion, inasmuch as in this manner it is assured that theextreme ends of the package will be covered with the protective web.That this is important can be seen from the fact that if the guide eye25 were restored to its 'original position along with the restoration offulcrum pin 33 to its original position, the thread passing from guideeye 25 to the spool would not pass vertically upward, but on thecontrary would assume a slanting relation. Such a vslanting relation`not only would prevent they threads from the protective web fromreaching the extreme ends of the spool but would prevent the threads ofthe protective web 90 from overlaying exactly the turns of threadforming the major portion of the spool package.

After the machine has continued in operation for several minutes so thatthere is formed a protective web extending from end to end of thepackage and similar to that illustrated in Figure 9, the spool may beremoved from the machine. To restore the parts to their initial posi--tion so that a new package may be wound, pawls 52 and 65 are lifted fromratchet wheel 63-and handwheel 19 is rotated backward. Inasmuch as b ar43 has remained in its restored position' during the formation of theprotective web 90, this bar, as well as its associated parts, is inposi-l tion to wind a new spool package 89.

It is obvious that numerous changes may be made without in any waydeparting from the spirit of the invention. It is valso obvious thatalthough the apparatus hereinabove disclosed has been described asapplied to the manufacture of articial silk thread by the viscoseprocess, its usefulnesslis not in fact limited-thereto. AIt is intendedthat the patent shall cover,

by suitable expression in the appended claims'. whatever features ofpatentable novelty reside in.

l being more widely spaced in an axial direction in-'the innermostlayers than in the outermost layers of the package, whereby the packagepos-.- sesses a greater degree of porosity at the interior than'at theexterior thereof.

2. 'A self-supporting thread package of the character described in claim1 wound upon a4 core extending longitudinally of the package.

.3. A self-supporting thread package of the character described in claim1 upon which a protective web is wound in such manner as to overlaysaid'package throughout its entire length, including said conical-ends.-I 1 LOUISE. LovE'r'r.

